The invention relates to a door handle assembly for a motor vehicle, having a frame-like handle mounting, an operating handle that is moveably supported on the handle mounting for opening a door or hatch of the motor vehicle by user, a mechanical coupling device, by means of which a movement of the operating handle can be transferred to a vehicle-side closing assembly, and a locking device serving as a mass locking device, which is moveably retained on the handle mounting and is designed such that, with the effect of an acceleration force, it can be moved from a normal operating position, in which an actuation of the operating handle is possible, in a first blocking direction, in which an actuation of the locking assembly by means of the operating handle and/or the coupling device is blocked.
Door handle assemblies of this type, having a locking device serving as a mass locking device, are intended to prevent the acceleration force occurring in an accident leading to an actuation of the operating handle, or door handle, respectively, and resulting in an unintentional opening of the door of the motor vehicle, which is accompanied by significant risks to a passenger in the motor vehicle. In typical door handle assemblies for motor vehicles, the handle components that are to be actuated by a user are mechanically coupled to a vehicle-side closing assembly (the actual door locking device). The movement of the door handle, or operating handle, respectively, is transferred to the closing assembly by the mechanical coupling device, and the door is allowed to open. In the case of an accident, the acceleration forces act, in unfavorable circumstances, in the manner of an actuation of the handle component by a user, because the handle can be accelerated in the opening direction due to inertia. With an operating handle, or door handle, respectively, without a corresponding locking device, the movement of the handle component in relation to the vehicle would lead to a transference of movement, by means of the coupling device, to the closing assembly in the vehicle, and to a releasing of the door. Example scenarios of such situations normally consist of a lateral collision with a barrier or another vehicle. A locking device serving as a mass locking device of this type, which may also be referred to as a crash lock, is known for door handle assemblies from the prior art.
By way of example, DE 199 29 022 C2 describes a mass locking device of this type in the form of a pivotal member, which is intended to block an actuation of the handle in the case of a crash. In the case of an accident, forces are exerted on a locking member, and an unintended movement of the handle, likewise caused by the forces acting thereon, is blocked.
A door handle assembly of the type indicated in the introduction is also known, for example, from DE 10 2009 053 553 A1. With this door handle assembly, an additional force acts on the operating handle, or door handle, respectively, by means of a crash lock, by means of which an unintended movement of the operating handle should be reliably prevented.
Crash locks of this type can be designed as a pendulum mass, such that, as a result of the force acting thereon, the crash lock is displaced, for example, into the movement path of the operating handle, thereby blocking the operating handle. Aside from this, crash locks are also known, which catch in a blocking position, and after their activation and catching, can only again be deactivated by means of a targeted intervention in the door handle unit, such that the door handle can again be used in the normal operation.
With door handle assemblies known from the prior art, having a mass locking device, or a locking device, respectively, that does not lock in place when activated, but rather returns, or swings, respectively, to its normal operating position, there is the disadvantage that, with the effects of acceleration forces, the locking device can move, or swing, back and forth, such that the locking device can become located in a position during its swinging, in which the pivot arm, or the operating handle, respectively, is not blocked, despite the crash. This is because the known locking devices are only active in a relatively small operating displacement range that blocks an actuation of the pivot arm, or operating handle, respectively, such that, either with strong and pronounced oscillations, or with oscillations occurring over a long period of time as a result of the effects of acceleration forces, there is the danger that, with locking devices swinging back and forth, the operating displacement range is not sufficient for reliably preventing a blocking of the operating handle, or pivot arm, respectively. For this reason, the locking device can assume a position in the case of a crash, during the swinging process, despite its activation, in which the operating handle, or the pivot arm, respectively, is not blocked.